


The Couple of the Ball

by magicsophicorn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 12:43:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4349258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicsophicorn/pseuds/magicsophicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina and Emma are voted 'Couple of the Ball', which comes as a bit of a shock to them since they're, you know, not a couple… (Yet.) Fluffy cuteness abounds!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Couple of the Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Swan Queen Week Day 4 - Mistaken for a Couple

For the first time in her life, Emma Swan truly felt like a princess.

She gazed around the ballroom in wonder. No, not ballroom, town hall, she reminded herself. It didn't look like it though. It looked, well, magical. There were beautiful coloured fabrics hung from the walls and ceiling, and fairy lights were strung up in such a way that it looked like stars twinkling overhead. At one end of the hall there were round tables exquisitely laid out for a banquet, and at the other end, in front of the stage, was a dance floor.

The inhabitants of Storybrooke scrubbed up surprisingly well, she thought. She had no idea where they'd all got their outfits from since as far as she knew Regina and Gold were the only ones who'd managed to bring anything over with the curse, and Storybrooke didn't exactly have many high fashion stores.

Most of the women, Emma included, were wearing elaborate ball gowns. Mulan, however, was wearing a fitted tux (and Emma was relieved that she wasn't wearing her armour for a change). Normally Emma would have been jealous, as she preferred to wear a suit herself too, but tonight she was actually kind of enjoying wearing a dress for a change. Hers was a brilliant blue-green turquoise which brought out the green in her eyes. It had a full skirt and a shimmering bodice which sparkled and seemed to ripple with different blue-green hues as she moved. Emma would never admit it to anyone, but she loved it because it made her feel like a mermaid.

Emma sat at one of the tables at the back and watched the dancing couples spin and twirl. She was surprised at how much she was enjoying herself. She'd certainly protested enough at having to attend the ball. But since it was all to raise money for the orphanage she hadn't really had much choice but to go in the end.

A high-pitched screech from the microphone on the stage instantly burst Emma's little bubble of goodwill towards the event, however.

"Ah, sorry folks!" A sheepish looking Archie said into the mic. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"I'm pleased to let you know that the nominations for The Couple of the Ball are now open. So please make your way over to the table at the side here to nominate the couple you feel are the most beautiful here tonight. Nominations will close at 9.30, so be sure to head over to the table and cast your vote before then. Thank you."

His speech finished, Archie nodded and left the stage. After a moment the music started again and several couples returned to the dance floor.

Movement to her side caught Emma's attention, and she turned her head just as Regina sat down next to her.

"Did I miss anything exciting?" Regina asked as she adjusted her hair (entirely unnecessarily in Emma's opinion).

Emma couldn't help but chuckle at her question. Regina was wearing a black dress (of course) with a deep plunging neckline and the fullest, most poofy, skirts of anyone at the ball. Unsurprisingly therefore, Regina's bathroom trip had taken a fair amount of time, and Emma was struggling not to laugh at the mental image of Regina attempting to pee amongst the many layers of… whatever her dress was made of, Emma didn't know.

"Nah," Emma said, "just Archie announcing that the beauty competition nominations have started."

She grinned slyly at Regina.

"Do we need to have a little talk about not cursing anyone that beats you in this?"

Regina rolled her eyes.

"You know full well that that aspect of my story is entirely fabricated," she said huffily, and Emma chuckled.

"Ah don't worry about it, no one here could beat you in a beauty contest anyway, so I'm sure we're all safe from your wrath."

Regina smiled.

"As flattered as I am by that, you seem to misunderstand the tradition. You're not just voting for any two people you think are the most attractive, you're voting for the most attractive _couple_. Since I am not here as part of a couple, no one will be voting for me at all."

Emma felt the all too familiar pang of guilt in her stomach whenever Regina mentioned her relationship status, since Robin leaving with Marian was basically all her fault. Regina might have forgiven her for it, but Emma sure as hell hadn't forgiven herself yet.

"Well, uh, me neither, if that makes you feel any better," she muttered awkwardly. She'd broken up with Hook a few weeks ago after catching him in bed with Tink. She was pretty glad neither of them were here this evening to be honest.

"Why don't we go and cast our votes?" Regina said, obviously taking pity on her. Emma nodded in relief.

Over at the voting table Emma stared at the blank piece of paper in her hand. She'd been kind of hoping for a list of couples to choose from. Multiple choice was always easier, after all.

She looked around the room for a minute or two before suddenly feeling guilty for even considering anyone other than her parents. She hastily scribbled 'Snow & Charming' as Archie ticked her off as having voted, and then dumped the slip of paper in the box.

"Sooooo… Did you vote for my parents?" Emma asked Regina with a grin as they made their way back to their table.

Regina sniffed in disdain.

"I did no such thing."

"You did! You totally did!" Emma crowed, grinning widely. "Admit it, you like them really. All the teasing is just for show."

"Over your dead body, Miss Swan," Regina growled, "and if you don't drop this subject immediately then that could be arranged. Soon."

Emma laughed.

"Alright, alright, don't get your petticoats in a twist. So… are you going to ask anyone to dance this evening?"

Emma waggled her eyebrows and Regina glared at her.

"Go and get me a drink, Miss Swan, I'm going to need it to cope with much more of this."

\-------------------

By the time 9.30 rolled around Emma was feeling pretty buzzed. She and Regina had drank a fair amount of wine together and Emma was trying very hard not to make any jokes about them being the spinsters at the ball. So far so good.

"Ah, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?"

Emma was grateful that there was no accompanying microphone screech this time when Archie spoke.

"Your votes have been counted and I'm pleased to announce that this year your Couple of the Ball are…"

There was a long pause, which was clearly intended to be dramatic, but which was somewhat ruined by Leroy yelling out, _"Get on with it!"_

Archie huffed and glared at him, or at least he gave the closest thing to a glare that he was capable of.

"Regina Mills and Emma Swan!" he finally said, and the room erupted into applause.

Emma just sat there blinking in confusion. She was sure that he'd just said her and Regina, but that couldn't be right because they weren't a couple. Emma turned to Regina, who looked just as confused as Emma felt. Well, that was kind of a relief. At least she wasn't going completely mad.

Emma was in a bit of a daze of confusion and alcohol as someone, possibly Snow, took her hand and pretty much dragged her and Regina up on to the stage. A crown was placed on each woman's head, and the applause finally died down as Archie began speaking into the mic again.

"Congratulations ladies! Would you like to say a few words?"

Archie was smiling eagerly as he held the mic out towards them.

"B-But…" Emma stammered, still fighting confusion at this bizarre turn of events, "we're not even a couple?"

There was an incredibly awkward silence. Emma was pretty sure you would have been able to hear a pin drop. She looked round at the people on the stage. Archie and Snow looked embarrassed, as did Regina, but in a different way. She looked furious. Like she thought this was all a cruel joke and she expected everyone to start mocking her at any moment. Emma didn't think that was the case though, judging by Archie and Snow's horrified faces.

She reached out and touched Regina's arm. Regina looked at her and Emma tried desperately to reassure her with her eyes that that wasn't what was happening, it was just a genuine misunderstanding. She wanted to say all that, but she didn't think Regina would appreciate having her insecurities highlighted on stage in front of everyone in that way.

"Are you sure?" Archie asked, looking down at Emma's hand on Regina's arm. She instantly snatched it away.

"It's just that 125 people out of the 200 here tonight voted for you to win Couple of the Ball, so what I'm trying to say is, if you were a couple, I think it's safe to say that you'll find a lot of acceptance and support here."

"No! No, we're definitely not a couple!" Emma managed to say, aware that her voice sounded unnaturally high.

"Well now, that is… unusual," Archie muttered, "perhaps we should forgo the couple's dance then…"

Emma yelped in surprise as Regina grabbed her hand and forcibly pulled her down the steps and on to the dance floor. If the fierce expression on her face was anything to go by, Regina still thought that this was all some kind of cruel joke, and the best way to save face therefore was to go along with it. Well okay then, Emma could do that if it would help Regina cope with this.

"Uh… The Couple of the Ball! Ladies and Gentlemen!" Archie said, and then gestured frantically for the band to start the music again.

As the song started, Regina grabbed Emma's hip and sharply pulled her flush against herself. Emma winced at the strength of Regina's grip. She wouldn't be surprised if she had finger shaped bruises there tomorrow. But apart from that, being this close to Regina actually felt surprisingly nice. She smelled _really_ good, and her hair looked really nice and soft, and in that dress Emma could feel every curve of her body as it was pressed up against her.

 _Oh,_ Emma thought, _well, shit._

No wonder everyone thought they were a couple. Apparently she was super gay for Regina and had never even noticed. She wanted to kick herself. Ow. Okay actually she was doing a pretty good job of that thanks to her lack of dancing skills.

"Regina," Emma whispered urgently, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to ballroom dance."

Regina's grip, and expression, softened, and Emma guessed it was probably in response to the look of utter terror that she was pretty sure was on her face right then.

"Let me teach you then," Regina said, steering Emma's body with her hand on her hip and her other hand in Emma's.

"But… There are so many people watching…"

"Forget about them," Regina said, and Emma did, the instant she looked into Regina's eyes. "Just focus on me. Left foot back, now to the side. Good, that's good."

Regina finally smiled and Emma knew in that instant she was truly and utterly fucked.

When the song ended it was like a spell had been broken. Emma realised that all around them couples were dancing and no one was paying them any attention at all anymore. She hadn't even noticed.

"So, uh, thank you for, you know, teaching me to dance," Emma said.

Neither of them made any move to let go of the other.

"So everyone thinks we're a couple, huh? Crazy, right?"

Emma laughed nervously. She needed to shut herself the hell up right now, that was for sure.

"Is it?" Regina murmured, and Emma's breath caught in her throat at Regina's expression, at the way she was looking at her.

"Uh… I mean… I think… Uh…"

Emma could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She wouldn't be surprised if Regina could feel it too, given their current positions.

"Articulate as ever, Emma."

Regina leaned in towards her and Emma thought she might pass out. No one had ever made her feel like this before.

Regina stopped, her face inches from Emma's, her eyes flicking between Emma's own and her lips.

Emma prayed she wasn't misreading things and closed the distance, pressing her lips to Regina's.

The kiss was tentative, soft, slow. They explored each other's mouths for the first time, and Emma felt like there were fireworks going off inside of her. It even kind of sounded like it, actually.

When they pulled apart and opened their eyes, Emma realised that not only were there actual, real, fireworks going off around them, but also that everyone at the ball was watching and applauding.

Emma felt her face go red. Now _that_ was embarrassing. After insisting they weren't a couple they then get caught making out. And wait, were the fireworks part of the ball or did they accidentally make them with their magic when they kissed? Shit, this evening was turning more and more into a Disney movie with every second.

Emma looked back at Regina, expecting to see another furiously embarrassed expression. But instead she was gazing at Emma with what looked an awful lot like wonder. It was absolutely breathtaking.

"So… About that whole not being a couple thing…"

Regina smiled.

"We might want to reconsider that… Just saying."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please feel free to send me prompts here or on [tumblr](http://magicsophicorn.tumblr.com). :)


End file.
